• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.88-97
• /
• 1994

A comparison was made between gastric cancer and gastritis patients regarding stress Perception and depression, using Global Assessment Recent Stress(GARS) scale and Beck Depression Inventory(BDI). 50% of gastric cancer patients and 38% of gastritis patients were found to be depressed on scores of BDI scale, respectively. There was no significant difference in scores of stress perception between both the groups. However, gastric cancer patients tended to be more depressed than gastritis patients, although the difference is statistically not significant. In the gastric cancer patients, severity of psychic distress showed significantly positive correlation with depression, whereas in the gastritis patients, severity of physical symptoms showed significantly positive correlation with depression. It suggested that depression of gastric cancer patients was more likely to be related to the extent of psychic distress than that of physical symptoms. In each of both the groups, female patients showed significantly higher stress perception than male patients, and age was found to have significantly negative correlation with stress perception. In conclusion, severity of pathology of the same organ was not related to extent of stress perception and of depression in which denial of gastric cancer patients might play a role. Thus, it is emphasized that psychosocial approach is more needed for gastric cancer patients than for gastritis patients.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.196-202
• /
• 1999

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of vitamin B complex on stress-induced immune alteration. 21 medical students participated in the study 4 weeks before an academic examination period(baseline), 2 weeks before the exam period and during the exam period. Among them, 10 subjects were given vitamin B complex for 4 weeks, and 11 were not given vitamin B during the whole period. Cell-mediated immune function was measured by lymphocyte proliferative response to phytohemagglutinin(PHA) and interleukin-2(IL-2) production. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and symptom checklist-90-revised(SCL-90-R) were used to measure the level of subjective stress and psychopathology. Vitamin group had significantly lower scores of anxiety scale on SCL-90-R than non-vitamin group. No significant differences were found in lymphocyte proliferative response to PHA and IL-2 production between vitamin and non-vitamin groups during each period. There were no significant differences in change of of each of the two immune parameters over time as well as between vitamin and non-vitamin groups. However, lymphocyte proliferative response to PHA was significantly increased over time. In conclusion, it was suggested that vitamin B complex is likely to decrease anxiety level, and that exam stress might enhance lymphocyte proliferation regardless of vitamin B.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.233-240
• /
• 1999

The purpose of this study was to make a comparison in perceived stressor and psychopathology among premenstrual, menstrual and postmenstrual phases, in high school girls. Three hundred forty-one high school girls(164 academic school girls, 177 art school girls) participated in this study. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and symptom checklist-90-revised(SCL-90R) were used to measure perceived stressors and psychopathology. The scores of perceived stressor relevant to change in relationships were significantly higher during the premenstrual and the postmenstrual phases than during the menstrual phase. However, no significant differences were found in psychopathology among three mentstrual phases. Scores of perceived stressor relevant to change or no change in routine were significantly higher in academic school girls than in art school girls. The scores of obsessive-compulsion subscale and positive symptom total were significantly higher in academic school girls than in art school girls. In conclusion, a perceived stressor was higher during the premenstrual and the postmenstrual phases than during the menstrual phase in adolescents, but psychopathology was not related to the menstrual cycle. These results indicated that the psychopathology in adolescent girls might be influenced by other factors than menstrual cycle.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.159-169
• /
• 2003

Objectives: The object of this study was to compare between perceived stress, coping strategies and quality of life between parents of childhood cancer and normal controls. Methods: Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R) were used to measure perception for stressors and stress responses(psychopathology). Coping scale and Smithklein Beecham quality of life scale were used to measure coping strategies and quality of life. Results: Scores of perceived stress related to interpersonal, changes in relationship, sickness or illness, financial, unusual happenings on the GARS scale were significantly higher in parents of childhood cancer than normal controls. Scores of the SCL-90-R, somatization, depression, anxiety, hostility subscale were also significantly higher in parents of childhood cancer than normal controls. Scores of self control and positive reappraisal were significantly higher in parents of childhood cancer than normal controls. Parents of childhood cancer scored significantly lower in quality of life than normal controls. Scores of depression were also significantly higher in parents of children diagnosed as acute lymphocytic leukemia(ALL) than those as acute nonlymphocytic leukemia(ANLL). Conclusions: The results suggest that patients with parents of childhood cancer were likely to have higher levels of perceived stressor and psychopathology and lower quality of life than normal controls.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.11-19
• /
• 2000

Objectives : The object of this study was to make a comparison regarding perceived stressor, perceived stress responses, and coping strategies between patients with gastric ulcer and patients with chronic gastritis. Subject and Methods : Subjects consisted of 40 patients with gastric ulcer and 100 patients with chronic superficial gastritis. Global assessment of recent stress(GARS) scale and perceived stress response inventory(PSRI) were used to measure perception for stressors and stress responses. Coping scale was used to measure coping strategies. Results : Scores of perceived stress related to work or job, changes in relationship on GARS scale were significantly higher in patients with gastric ulcer than those with chronic gastritis. Scores of perceived stress responses related to general somatic symptom, specific somatic symptom, passive-responsive and careless behavior on PSRI were significantly higher in patients with chronic gastritis than those with gastric ulcer. Scores of seeking social support, escape-avoidance on coping scale were significantly higher in patients with gastric ulcer than those with chronic gastritis. Conclusion : The above results suggest that perception for stressors were likely to be higher in patients with gastric ulcer than those with gastritis, whereas perception for stress responses were likely to be higher in the latter than the former. It is also suggested that patients with gastric ulcer were likely to use more dependent and passive coping strategies than patients with gastritis.

• Journal of Music and Human Behavior
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.31-49
• /
• 2024

The stress experienced by employees on international deployment has serious implications for their physical and mental health as well as their work performance. This study aimed to investigate the impact of resource-oriented music listening on work-related stress among employees on international deployment. The study recruited 10 participants of varying ages and occupations who had worked abroad for at least three years and conducted five personalized resource-oriented music listening sessions along with interviews. The Global Assessment of Recent Stress Scale (GARS) and Job Stress Scale (JSS) were used to measure stress levels before and after the intervention. Results showed that participants' work-related stress and perceived stress were significantly reduced following the music therapy intervention. The study also found that "awareness of own's life situation" and "self-acceptance of here and now emotional challenges" were factors that reduced regulatory stress among employees on international deployment. This study highlights the potential of resource-oriented music listening as a useful tool for managing workplace stress and promoting the well-being of expatriate employees.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 1993

Stress perception was investigated in 53 outpatients with extrinsic type of bronchial asthma, using GARS scale and other questionnaires. 40% of the patients were found to be psychosomatic. The patients were more likely to consider their physical symptoms as severe than the allergist Severity of symptoms rated by the allergist had significantly positive correlation with scores of stress perception related to changes in relationship. However, no significant correlation was found between severity of symptoms rated by patients and scores of stress perception. Psychosomatic group was significantly higher in scores of stress perception related to illness and injury, financial burden, and change or no change in routine than non-psychosomatic group. Female. older age, higher education. presence of religion. and presence of psychological stressors at onset and/or aggravation of the illness were found to increase stress perception. These findings indicate ant extrinsic asthmatics an less likely to perceive psychological stress than physical symptoms, and that they are less vulnerable to psychological stressors than patients with other diseases.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.47-57
• /
• 2000

This study was designed and performed to identify the effects of oriental medical therapy on hwabyung patients by investigating the life events as the cause of Hwabyung, recent stress perception which influences the clinical appearances and change of symptoms by means of objective scales. 1. Through life events rating scale, life events are reported as follows, in the order of majority. Health, discord within family, martial life, friendship and interest, religion etc. Hwabyung patients experienced negative stress much more than positive stress. 2. Through the GARS (Global Assessment of Recent Stress), there were some significant decreases of stress perception in stress4(stress of sickness or injury), stress7(stress of change or no change in routine) and stress8(overall global stress)(p<0.05, respectively), but there were no significant decreases in five items out of eight items. 3. There were significant decreases of all rated symptoms(feeling of chest oppressed, stuffy in the chest or epigastric mass, feeling of something pushing-up, flushing of body or face, abrupt impulsion of anger, resentment), which were checked weekly for 4 times (p<0.05, respectively). In this study the symptoms of hwabyung were improved regardless of stress perception. It means that hwabyung can be improved significantly with oriental medical therapy.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.504-509
• /
• 2008

Three G-protein-linked acetylcholine receptors (GARs) exist in the nematode C. elegans. GAR-3 is pharmacologically most similar to mammalian muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). We observed that carbachol stimulated ERK1/2 activation in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing GAR-3b, the predominant alternatively spliced isoform of GAR-3. This effect was substantially reduced by the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U73122 and the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor GF109203X, implying that PLC and PKC are involved in this process. On the other hand, GAR-3b-mediated ERK1/2 activation was inhibited by treatment with forskolin, an adenylate cyclase (AC) activator. This inhibitory effect was blocked by H89, an inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA). These results suggest that GAR-3b-mediated ERK1/2 activation is negatively regulated by cAMP through PKA. Together our data show that GAR-3b mediates ERK1/2 activation in CHO cells and that GAR-3b can couple to both stimulatory and inhibitory pathways to modulate ERK1/2.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.351-359
• /
• 2020

It is well known that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is related to psychological distress. However, only a few studies have investigated the relationship between IBS and various dimensions of psychological distress. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of IBS and its relationship with anxiety, depression, and stress in young female college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-report structured questionnaire with 673 female college students. IBS was diagnosed based on the Rome III criteria. For the evaluation of psychological distress on the IBS, we investigated Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Global Assessment of Recent Stress (GARS). The prevalence of IBS was 27.9%. In the univariate analysis, the anxiety, depression, and stress scores were significantly associated with IBS (P<0.001, P=0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that anxiety (OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.01~1.15, P=0.032) and stress scores (OR=1.23, 95% CI=1.19~1.27, P<0.001) were independently correlated with the IBS. Among the subtypes of IBS, IBS with predominant constipation was the most common, and the anxiety, depression, and stress scores did not significantly differ between the subtypes. Our results suggest that anxiety and stress are closely related to IBS. Managing psychological distress should be considered in the treatment of IBS in young female college students.